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Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'
Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson by Lyndsay Faye
1 review
elzmri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
THE BEST SHERLOCK HOLMES PASTICHE!!!
I am so gutted to have finished this book as I wish it could have gone on another 200 pages. Lyndsay Faye is a fantastic writer, and having read a LOT of Holmes pastiches, I can very confidently say that she is my favourite.
She does everything right- the characters’ descriptions, Watson’s narrative, the case and deductions, Doyle’s writing style- ugh, it’s just perfect (and I don’t often say that about a book, as I am always in the mind that there is always room for improvement for everything, however this time I cannot find any faults whatsoever!)
Let’s start with the case itself. I won’t reveal any spoilers, so do not fret:
Obviously, this is based on the Jack the Ripper, and is a very clever and authentic chronology of events that led up to the deductions made about the “Knife’s” identity by Holmes himself. It is evident that Faye has dedicated hours of time to researching the Ripper and his victims, and she presents these in a respectful way; not too gory/ explicit, but with enough description to educate the reader about the nature of the murders as well as aiding in the fictional narrative. As someone who can be triggered easily by too much explicit gore descriptions, I was fine reading this, so do not worry on that front if you are in a similar position.
Now, onto the pastiche elements:
Aww, this book left me grinning many times at Faye’s descriptions of Holmes and Watson; their personalities and friendships, from the minute details to the more obvious elements, are written perfectly. And this extends beyond these two characters, as Lestrade is also portrayed in an authentic way that is reminiscent of Watson’s description of the detective in the canon. She has presented the duo with evident love for the characters, which is perfect for us Holmes fanatics. As I say, there were many times where I was left going “aww” as she really brings them and their friendship to life, which I absolutely love. They banter with each other and look out for each other, but Faye doesn’t shy away from presenting Holmes’ impatience and solitary nature, which all the more makes them even more believable. I also like the spotlight that Faye shone on Watson, too- particularly at the end of the novel; she proves that he isn’t just Holmes’ “Boswell”, but his best friend and a skilled doctor and military man in his own right.
I could gush about this book forever, but I don’t want to spoil the book. Please, please, please- if you are a Holmes fan, read this book! It is the perfect pastiche in presenting the duo so close to the canon, and respectfully explores a historic event that is both educational and gripping at the same time. I hope Faye writes more in the future, as I am desperate for more!
I am so gutted to have finished this book as I wish it could have gone on another 200 pages. Lyndsay Faye is a fantastic writer, and having read a LOT of Holmes pastiches, I can very confidently say that she is my favourite.
She does everything right- the characters’ descriptions, Watson’s narrative, the case and deductions, Doyle’s writing style- ugh, it’s just perfect (and I don’t often say that about a book, as I am always in the mind that there is always room for improvement for everything, however this time I cannot find any faults whatsoever!)
Let’s start with the case itself. I won’t reveal any spoilers, so do not fret:
Obviously, this is based on the Jack the Ripper, and is a very clever and authentic chronology of events that led up to the deductions made about the “Knife’s” identity by Holmes himself. It is evident that Faye has dedicated hours of time to researching the Ripper and his victims, and she presents these in a respectful way; not too gory/ explicit, but with enough description to educate the reader about the nature of the murders as well as aiding in the fictional narrative. As someone who can be triggered easily by too much explicit gore descriptions, I was fine reading this, so do not worry on that front if you are in a similar position.
Now, onto the pastiche elements:
Aww, this book left me grinning many times at Faye’s descriptions of Holmes and Watson; their personalities and friendships, from the minute details to the more obvious elements, are written perfectly. And this extends beyond these two characters, as Lestrade is also portrayed in an authentic way that is reminiscent of Watson’s description of the detective in the canon. She has presented the duo with evident love for the characters, which is perfect for us Holmes fanatics. As I say, there were many times where I was left going “aww” as she really brings them and their friendship to life, which I absolutely love. They banter with each other and look out for each other, but Faye doesn’t shy away from presenting Holmes’ impatience and solitary nature, which all the more makes them even more believable. I also like the spotlight that Faye shone on Watson, too- particularly at the end of the novel; she proves that he isn’t just Holmes’ “Boswell”, but his best friend and a skilled doctor and military man in his own right.
I could gush about this book forever, but I don’t want to spoil the book. Please, please, please- if you are a Holmes fan, read this book! It is the perfect pastiche in presenting the duo so close to the canon, and respectfully explores a historic event that is both educational and gripping at the same time. I hope Faye writes more in the future, as I am desperate for more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
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